by C S Harrop
Asha finally came to the point she could not hold on to the rear any longer gradually losing pace watching the gap between her and the allies widen. She eventually came to stop hunched over gasping for breath then she saw it, movement to the right atop an embankment and more to the left behind a pile of large rocks. She placed her palm over the Book of Shariel with lightning speed the pages turned to her will, then with a forward thrust of her arm the spell leapt from the glowing page to conjure a large bear with an aura of a brilliant blue that surround its body. Jumping on the bears back followed by Aunt Elora placing her arm around Asha’s waist, the bear move with thumping speed towards the rear of the group.
Small groups of ten or so goblins showed their faces first, charging from all directions hoping to pick of the allies from the rear with nets and spears. A lone orc partially armoured appeared atop a mound of earth not too far ahead of the running allies and gave a loud echoing waring cry with an instant reply from nearby reinforcements. Then another response further away along with multiple more responses echoing back across the gloomy landscape.
Founder Valen leading the army spotted the orcs in dribs and drabs descending on them from different directions. With a vocal warning over her shoulder, a woman of the woodland realm took out the orc on top of the mound with an arrow to the neck, whilst Walker blasted a pair of goblins to the chest whilst an orc in mid swing just missing his head with its huge iron hammer as he rolled across the ground. Asha caught up to the rear group of allies with a loud growl from the bear getting the goblins instant but petrified attention. Aunt Elora raised her free hand and created a blinding bright light from the markings on her palm causing the goblins to shield their large eyes at that moment the large bear stomped, clawed and bit its way through until the rear was secure.
“It seems even in the afterlife they don’t like bright lights,” Aunt Elora stated watching her fellow Guardians take note and started moving towards the edges of the now slowing army creating a barricade of light.
Bringing the bear to a stop, Asha once again turned to the Book of Shariel. A page stopped and started to glow then with a motion of her arm she conjured a pack of Spectral Wolves that glowed with the same brilliant blue colour. The wolves did not even look around at Asha, with focused concentration she gave her command without saying a word out aloud. The wolves shot off down each side of the now jogging allies attacking any Dark Blood that showed its oily looking face. By this time, Asha’s army reached the cover of the large boulders in which Valen leapt upon turning an orc and two goblins to dust. They rounded the massive boulders turning eastwards towards the hill and the location of the Breacher tree.
Clouds of both dark and light ash scattering the spot were either an ally or Dark Blood once stood. Asha and Aunt Elora came up from the rear making their way to the front to take the lead by Valen’s side causing her to look twice at the bear Asha was riding with an impressed look. They picked up their running speed once again as they closed in on the hill, the Dark Bloods came quick and fast picking off more of Asha’s army as light coloured dust became more frequent. Orcs started to come together in groups while the goblins threw spears and rocks from the shadows as they passed. Asha noticed from the hairy back of the bear torches lit in all direction heading their way. A simple but effective communication tactic used by the Dark Bloods to highlight their forces current location and heading, with a single torch bearer close enough to the target waving the fire stick in the air to show the enemies position. It didn’t take a master strategists like Valen to realise their torches were also a benefit to Asha and her army giving away their legions locations which she used without hesitation making slight course corrections, but the enemy were many coming from all directions all having the same goal - kill the invaders.
The hill was finally upon them but arriving with a quarter of Asha’s army already succumbed to the Dark Bloods wrath. Last of the Spectral Wolves evaporated into a mist of a brilliant white colour as an orc embedded its large axe into its hide as the creature stood atop a goblin with its throat in its mouth. Moments later the same orc was skilfully taken out by a swipe of a passing dwarf’s large steel hammer as he passed to ascend the hill. It was more of a long steady incline towards the Breacher tree than the steepness at first sight from the passageway when they first arrived. Asha and Aunt Elora held the line for as long as they could giving her allies the extra time needed to reach the tree. Eventually a goblin spear found its mark in the bear’s neck sending their bodies falling hard to the ground through the swirl of mist that remained. So far, the Dark Bloods attacked alone or in small groups but that was soon going to change as the distant torches became closer to converge on hill.
Asha and Aunt Elora started up towards the Breacher avoiding the loose rocks big enough to trip them, looking over their shoulders every now and again blasting an orc or goblin that got too close. Asha’s lungs heaved heavily draining her oxygen intake more rapidly, but the sight of the tree drew closer with every step giving Asha the mental boost in resisting the urge to stop and join the rest of her allies under the mass of black twisting bark that overshadowed the remaining group of allies, which included Founder Valen and Guardian Walker.
“Looks like they have formed a party back there,” stated Aunt Elora looking back down towards a group of twenty or so orcs and goblins alike.
“I’ll give us some time,” slowing her pace to a near stop, Asha opened the Book of Shariel stopping at a familiar page. With a wave of her glowing palm, four packs of Spectral Wolves materialised in front of Asha, sending two packs on a collision course with the chasing group and the other two in different directions around the hills creating a security perimeter.
The Breacher was even more disturbing up close. The black twisting bark had the illusion of movement with large overhanging leafless branches that reminded Asha of long crooked fingers. Valen came close to a now panting Asha who stood with her hands on her hips taking in deep breaths watching clouds of silvery light erupt in the dim light from the wolves further down the hill.
“We must encircle the tree in a defensive perimeter, they will attack from all sides,” advised Valen pointing towards torches gradually merging.
“I agree we may get three lines of defence with what left of us around this monstrosity,” replied Asha.
“I suggest the ones wielding a shield be stationed as the first line of defence with the Guardians scattered around the perimeter amongst our people,” Valen said with a focused tone.
“I would suggest placing the Frost Elves with their spears on the row behind the shields, to counter attack whilst the front line defends,” inputted Aunt Elora with her many years of experience.
“And the woodland kind to the rear with their arrows,” said Valen.
“This actually sounds like we know what we’re doing,” laughed Walker in a kind of dark humour. “I’ll get them all their places and join the ranks. I just hope we can hold them. I have seen Onyxia’s forces with my own eyes, if these Dark Bloods get through the portal when it opens its game over.”
“Then we just have to make sure they don’t,” replied Asha fully aware of the consequence if they should fail.
Hundreds of enemy torches converged on the hill where the slight incline of the hill began surrounding the entire circumference in flickering flames. Loud echoing war cries travelled up from an area in which Asha could only make out shadows behind the flickering flames of the torches. The cries travelled to the next orc legion then to the next until the whole army of Dark Bloods gave a united cry followed by banging of metal on metal filling the dimly lit atmosphere. As the noise faded across the rocky landscape, a final singular roar from a Dark Blood higher up in the command chain, which resulted in their torches simultaneously, been distinguished. The surrounding hill became a sea of black mass, then with a final roar the dark mass in union rushed towards Asha and her allies with the ground shaking beneath their feet.
“This is our moment right here, right now,” shout
ed Asha in a rallying cry. “Let’s show these creatures we don’t bow down and give in to the shadows, lets show them what honour truly is. For honour!”
“For honour!” Shouted every single one of her allies in a defiant reply as the first wave of orcs attacked from all directions hitting the dwarven shields full on with force like a sledgehammer on rock.
Chapter 22
A Dragons Eye View
Skies above the green rolling hills of the northern lands were clear and fresh, the Scouthawks felt at home flying high above the earth with the wind blowing across their brown and orange highlighted feathers. Five hawks had travelled nearly a week only occasionally resting to eat a rodent of some kind with their white curved beak they had spotted with their heightened vision and caught with a pair of sharp talons from a near vertical dive. The Scouthawks split up and headed in different directions once they entered the Downs the landscape slightly with added scattered clump of old thick oaken trees and mounds of rock.
Darwin back in the aviary of the Core positioned on his knees with his eyes glazed grey and motionless in deep concentration. Looking through the Scouthawks eyes as one he transferred from hawk by hawk feeling the sensation of the birds gliding on the currents of air. Darwin could feel their emotion surging through his mind like it was his own.
A Scouthawk searching the rocky south-eastern area of the Downs caught Darwin’s attention, seeing through the hawk’s binocular vision a large swaying mass appeared in the distance. Using the current of air with a suggestion from Darwin the Scouthawk headed with speed but tactically keeping to a distance of the large mass as it came into focus. The full force of Onyxia’s army came flooding into Darwin’s eyes causing his hands to go rigid in an anxious state.
He focused the Scouthawk to glide along circling over the thousands of dark bloods trampling the earth below but out of range of any arrow taking a good look at the force in which the eastern alliances must face. A loud screeching sound suddenly deafened Darwin placing his hand to his ears in pain. Still connected, the Scouthawk clearly in a sign of distress swooping from left to right in sharp drifting movements. Then the sound of a hundred frightened souls filled the air again with the Scouthawk taking a devastating final look towards the sounds origin. The last images now permanently imprinted on Darwin’s brain was that of Onyxia’s flying beast’s scaled head of needle teeth with its dagger like talons outstretched for the kill.
Darwin fell on his back perspiring and gasping for breath, his eyes returning to their natural blue with a tear running down his cheek for his lost hawk. He picked himself up supporting his weight against the ledge of the wide-open timber frame of the tower catching the cold autumn breeze on his face as he looked out across the Core and of Myst. The aviary itself was nothing special or out of the ordinary, it had thick wooden planked floors with a narrow staircase leading down to the floors below. With thick wooden support beams placed vertically across the roof and five wooden perches that protruded waist height from the floor. Darwin regained his composure and descended the two floors of foods stores and supplies emerging into the ground floor stable with four horses of different colour and pattern roaming in their individual paddocks. With a slight stroke and a soft word to the horses, he exited by the gated side entrance and made his way around to the courtyard picking up speed as he went.
Darwin knew there was only one Elder remained in the whole of Myst and that was Elder Jorik, who was acting as a point of contact for all the other Elder heading towards the northern lands with their armies. Elder Fallon was already on the south-western border of the northern lands spotted by another of Darwin’s hawks, camped with all his Guardians waiting for confirmation of Onyxia’s whereabouts and possibly reinforcements marching up the south.
He reached the thick wooden doors of the Spire. He had only set foot inside the tower a handful of times in the four years since he encouraged by Elder Jorik to be a part of some greater cause. Darwin joined the order but not as a Guardian, he did not have the markings to be a member of the order but instead he was given the role as Keeper. Darwin had free range to choose the animals to his liking that would be beneficial to the order. He was presented with his own tower and lodge towards the back end of the core with adjoining fenced land. People at first were weary of Darwin keeping to a distance of this strange person in boots close to knee length with loose pants tucked into the boot rim, with a waist coat covering his shirt with rolled up sleeves who strangely can talk and control animals at will. Eventually over time, occupants of the Core had gotten over his mystical way he communicated with animals to the point he was equally respected throughout the Core. Especially when he started to use his unique gift with animals to help the Guardians specifically with his beloved Scouthawks.
The doors swung inward with a bang as Darwin ran across the timber floors avoiding chairs and tables of stacked books nearly taking out a bookcase as he reached the stairs. He raced up through the different floors to find Elder Jorik standing by a large round table on the top floor. Wearing his small round glasses, he had an opened book in one hand whilst navigating his finger around the engraved table map. Darwin walked over to the table unaware if Elder Jorik even realised he was there. He noted his concentration was solely on the map with different types of polished rocks placed in specific areas that clearly represented the locations of the armies on both sides. Darwin moved the sandstone representing Elder Fallon to the location he had recently seen through the hawk’s eyes with sudden upward glance from Elder Jorik suddenly noticing his presence. He then followed by moving the marble piece and the slate representing Elder Nyran and Warrick to their last seen location all situated in or around the northern boarders. Lastly, Darwin picked up the black piece of basalt representing Onyxia. Elder Jorik did not even blink as Darwin manoeuvred the piece placing the dark rock to the south eastern area of the Downs.
“How accurate is this Darwin? We have had reports coming in over the past few month some bad some good but all suggesting Onyxia has headed in the same direction from the very beginning, she has not diverted once,” Elder Jorik signed in a tense tone not taking his eyes fully of the map.
“I saw them with my own eyes,” replied Darwin. “The Dark Bloods were heading north-west and by the looks of your map they are marching towards Heres Valley.”
Elder Jorik studied the map a little longer trying to fit pieces of puzzle together wandering where on this straight route they were heading. Then suddenly his eyes widened, he stepped over and took another leather bound book from a shelf titled History of the Downs. He flicked through the pages as if he had read the book a hundred times searching for a specific page or paragraph. Three quarters of the way through the book, he stopped on a page with a detailed drawing of a deathly looking tree under the chapter Heres Valley. It reads – ‘A dark coloured twisting tree unlike any other, its origin unknown. Its thick roots dug deep into the earth poisoning the surrounding land to form a dry and unfertile dirt. A tree solely of nightmares.’
“This is where Onyxia is heading, I’m sure of it. The image in that book had stuck in my mind for the same reason the passage in the book states, a tree of nightmares. Which makes sense now we know Onyxia plans on opening a doorway to the dead. I believe the tree must have originated either from a seed not of our world brought from the eastern lands by mistake from a passing traveller or from a more sinister reason. Personally, it is a high possibility God Plagis could have planted the seed itself. It is the only two logical explanation I can think of and now seeing an army of Dark Bloods heading for the tree I’m thinking it’s no accident.”
“Why hasn’t this thing been chopped down Elder Jorik, tainting the land like that is not right?” Asked Darwin his focus drawn to the picture.
“If I remember correctly this book states the farmers of the surrounding lands didn’t want their lands as you put it - tainted. They came together with axes but the tree was too tough to cut down so they tried to burn it down with torches, which had no effect. They
even tried pulling the giant tree out of the ground with ropes attached to cattle but the roots were too deep. In the end the farmers had no choice but to give up and pray their lands never get tainted,” told Elder Jorik his fingers moving as if they had a mind of their own. Walking over to the window his hand stroking his short bearded chin and his other behind his back in deep thought. “I would ask you to stay here in the Spire with me Darwin and keep me updated in regular intervals, if you could direct your Scouthawks to keep close to our allies and Onyxia’s forces we can then pass this information on to the Elders?”
“Unfortunately I lost Elrig, she got too close and Onyxia took her out,” Darwin said with the sadness in his eyes.
“I’m sorry to hear that Darwin I know you care for the hawks dearly, in times like these we are all going to lose something or someone close to our hearts,” Elder Jorik said sympathetically whilst adding a tone of realism to his signing. “Onyxia knows she couldn’t expect to travel all this way without causing attention and with the attack on Elrig the question is how aware is she of our forces.”
“Personally I don’t think she cares, you don’t march into the enemies territory if you were frightened of been attacked,” Darwin stated taking a seat around the table.
“You’re probably correct, best to inform the Elders at this point of our new information and advise them to head for Heres Valley.”
Elder Jorik raised his palm upwards with his marking glowing vibrant. Darwin had seen this happen many times in the Core and was still mesmerised how Elders and the Guardians send messages to each other. His marking began to pulsate to a steady rhythm, four orbs the size of a big marble appeared and levitated just above his palm. The next part always fascinated Darwin how the gifted can concentrate their thoughts just the same as Elder Jorik is doing now and without speaking a word they send a message they have created in their mind and store it in the orbs. When Elder Jorik had finished his strained face relaxed, the four orbs shot out through the open window at lightning speed going in different directions towards the recipients. The orbs became a common sight especially in Myst, overtime they were given a nickname of Shooters by the populous in which Darwin found appropriate watching the orbs fly out of the window in a split second with a tail of colour.
